One of the important characteristics desired of a space-deployable structure, such as, but not limited to, communication satellites and associated antenna structures that are transported aboard a space-launch vehicle, is that the structure be as lightweight and stowable in as compact as possible configuration. While a variety of deployment architectures have been proposed to date, telescoping boom designs are particularly attractive because of their highly ‘nested’ stowing capability. Currently, the most common telescoping boom deployment mechanisms are cable drive-based and lead screw-based mechanisms.
In the former mechanism, a cable, or series of cables, are routed between nesting boom sections in a manner that, when wound, the boom sections will tend to expand. Drawbacks to this approach include the necessity of a mechanism that insures that the spooling cable does not tangle, and the fact that the extension force is not along the axis of the boom, which results in a high risk of binding. In lead screw-based designs, a series of boom sections, each with its own nut element, are deployed through the sequenced engagement and disengagement of the nut elements. Such an approach requires a sequencing mechanism to engage the nuts in a precisely synchronized manner, in addition, the engaging nuts must be properly configured to prevent ‘cross-threading’.